Jack & the Beanstalk

Jack & the Beanstalk was formed unceremoniously in mid 1994. Bored with just having played acoustically for the previous 12 months after the split of the Stonemasons, Joe Algeri teamed up good friends Rick Pomponio (drums) and Shane Bender (bass) for a few beers and a laugh.

Joe's vision was for a loose rock n' roll outfit performing compact songs with influences ranging from garage, punk, pop and country.

Ten years (and various line-up changes) later, their numerous single, EP, album and compilation releases have received reviews, airplay and recognition in Australia, Europe, USA, South Africa, Japan and Brazil.

The band consists of: Joe Algeri (vocals, guitar) Kevin Borruso (guitar) Stuart Loasby (bass) Anthony Spinelli (drums)

Jack & the Beanstalk

In a futile attempt to get laid and drink for free, Joe and the lads took their very Australian brand of power-pop to woo Spanish and French audiences during 1998. Legends were made and lots of dodgy tour stories followed. While never taking themselves seriously, they did however, seriously give the Europeans fun and energetic rock n' roll performances.

The band continue to perform in their hometown of Perth and Joe is currently writing material for their 3rd album. Look out for more releases and tours soon.

Check out the full band discography.

 

	More Jack facts...
	Joe Algeri & the Lee Hazlewood Experience was a semi-acoustic version of Jack & the Beanstalk in 1995 featuring Gerry McAvoy (bass) and Jason Barfoot (drums). They naturally played many Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra classics.
	The Your Weirdo EP (Hellfire Club Records - France) and Serial CD (Torpedo Records - Sweden) were both debut releases for these labels.
	Jack & the Beanstalk played the Australian summer festival, "The Big Day Out" in 1997. The band opened the event in the 38c January heat on a huge bill that featured Supergrass, Prodigy, Offspring and Soundgarden.
	Starsky & Hutch was the most recent performance guise for Joe and Jack partner, Kevin Borruso. They have been described by Perth audiences as a "shockingly unprofessional" acoustic duo.

 

Joe Algeri

Joe Algeri was born in the Spring of 1969 in Perth, Western Australia. The eldest soon of Sicilian migrants, at age 9 he was encouraged to take up the piano-accordion, the only instrument in which he has received any formal musical training. By age 10 however, he had enough of playing Italian folk songs for his elated aunts and uncles.

During Joe's teenage years he discovered the Beatles and the whole magical world of 60's pop, this has been an enduring influence. A self taught guitarist, singer and song-writer, Joe's first public appearance was with the Rockefellers in 1991. "...a band of virgins", Joe chuckles. More serious intentions led to the formation of the Stonemasons a year later. Joe has continued his musical partnership with lead guitarist, Kevin Borruso, to this day with Jack & the Beanstalk.

Since 1994 Jack & the Beanstalk have recorded numerous independent releases that have reached almost every corner of the globe. Southern Europe was the first destination to appreciate the band's melodic Australian power-pop. Joe traveled to Spain to perform acoustic dates in 1995 where the band's first single, Gram Parsons was released. In 1998 the whole band traveled to Spain and France on a similar crusade. Joe then continued on 'solo' in France, Sweden, Finland and the US for another 4 months.

On his return to Australia the time was right for Joe to finish acoustic tracks for his first solo album, Everything Under The Sun. To find out more about this release check out the Parasol or Torpedo Records websites.

Joe continues to write and record both solo and in collaboration with others. Expect a full length compilation in the near future of various tracks he recorded whilst living in Sweden.

 

	More Joe facts...
	In 1994 the Joe Algeri Experience was a (very drunken) trio that featured Grant Ferstat (guitar/vocals) and Samantha Jones (flute).
	Joe has performed and recorded with Kim William's Summer Suns, including the She Understands 45 that was released through the US Bustop label.
	In 1995 Joe visited Spain on a solo/promotional tour. In the back alleys of Madrid he had a photo shoot with the famous Beatles photographer, Robert Freeman, ie, Meet The Beatles, Rubber Soul.
	Joe won a local music award, "Kiss My Wami" for Most Popular Male Vocalist 1995. He won a cake that he was not there to receive. His colleagues ate it the next day.
	The biggest solo concert in Joe's career was at the 'Karneval' in Lund, Sweden in May 1998 on a stage "bigger than anything the band had ever dreamed of".
	Joe recorded Yeah... No in the bathroom of Adam Schmitt's house in Urbana, Illinois on a hot August day, 1998.
	Joe performed at the "International Pop Overthrow" festival in Los Angeles, both in 1998 & 1999.
	Joe has recorded Gene Clark's Full Circle Song together with Swedish label-mates, happydeadmen, for a tribute compilation on Not Lame Records (US).
	The Hi-Valley Singers are a duo spotted around Stockholm with Joe plus Magnus from happydeadmen.
	Joe has made frequent trips to Finland where he's teamed up with good friends, Ben's Diapers. They often perform together on stage as Jack's Diapers. It was during one of these trips in June 2001 that they recorded She's Fine for the recently released Stems tribute album.
	During a series of acoustic dates in Spain in November 2001, Joe also performed some Beanstalk numbers with a group of local Valencian musicians that named themselves the Others. Apparently Joe made more mistakes than they did!
	Computer Xmas was Joe's first 'home recording' and was released on Parasol's Christmas compilation, "Stuck In The Chimney Vol.2".
	Joe has commenced production work for other bands and of late he has produced releases for Opossum, Trimatics (Sweden) and Ben's Diapers (Finland). Check out the production page.